James Madison (1751-1836) was one
of the most influential and successful Virginians of the
Revolutionary generation. In addition to helping write the first
two Constitutions of Virginia, the Constitution of the United
States, and the Bill of Rights, he represented Virginia in
Congress during the American Revolution and in the U.S. House of
Representatives for eight years. He was the first great
legislative leader in the United States, employing skills hehad learned in Virginia to help Congress create the new
nation. Madison's contributions to American government were
based in large part on his knowledge of the skillful statecraft of
Virginia's colonial leaders, among them Sir William Berkeley and
John Robinson Jr. The Virginian who made the greatest
contributions to American political theory and practice, Madison
succeeded by joining the power of his mind with the pragmatic
political practices he learned during his first years of politics
in Virginia. He was also a coauthor of the Federalist Papers and
served as secretary of state (1801-1809) and as president
(1809-1817).

James Madison.
After Gilbert Stuart. Hand-colored engraving.
The Library of Virginia.